The Pale Wild Dragon Appeared

"Are you unhappy to see me?"

Laenor grumbled indignantly. "Or are you dissatisfied with your own wife, so you're taking your resentment out on another woman?"

He really couldn't make heads or tails of it.

Why the relentless sarcasm?

A cold look crossed Aemond's face. "Compared to you, I'd much rather have my poor nephew back."

"Who?" Laenor asked, stunned and unable to understand.

All he knew was that the king's cousin, who hadn't been king before, had become king and fathered a whole bunch of children.

He truly didn't know that one of them had met with an accident.

"You still don't know? It happened half a month before you returned."

Aemond's One-Eye darkened as he spoke harshly. "Isn't it a remarkable coincidence? The day after that child was born, someone saw a wounded dragon stranded on Tarth—and it brought you back."

He made no effort to lower his voice, ensuring the whole hall could hear.

From what he'd learned, his nephew Aemon shouldn't have been attacked by a wild dragon.

Another dragon had been pursued, and Aemon and his dragon had been caught up in it.

At his words, many people's expressions changed.

Rhaenys frowned and opened her mouth to speak.

"This has nothing to do with me."

Laenor felt baffled and denied it at once. "The culprit is the wild dragon you mentioned. Sea Smoke is innocent."

"I don't care whether you're innocent!"

Aemond suddenly raised his voice. He stepped forward, chest bumping into Laenor's, and stared him straight in the eye. "You shouldn't have come back."

"Enough!"

"Aemond, watch your words."

Corlys and Rhaegar spoke at the same time. One sprang to his feet, while the other furrowed his brow.

Rhaegar's feelings were complicated, but he didn't rebuke Aemond more harshly.

Some things could be said,